Grand National: 6 reasons to boycott the annual horse racing event

The Grand National is one of the most famous horse races watched by millions around the world. It’s also one of the most controversial sporting events of the year.

This year, the highly-anticipated sporting event takes place on Saturday 6 April.

The race has been taking place annually since 1839 and is part of a three-day race-meeting held at Aintree Racecourse, Merseyside.

Though much has changed since that very first race, the Grand National remains deeply problematic and continues to raise concerns over animal welfare and gambling.

Hence many campaigners have spent years calling for a boycott, arguing that the race is too dangerous for both horses and jockeys and therefore morally dubious.

Read on to see why the Grand National is one of the most controversial sporting events in history.

The dangerous jumps

The Grand National route is four-and-a-half miles long and features a series of high jumps, including one called Becher’s Brook, which is described on the Grand National’s website as the “most thrilling and famous fence in the horse racing world” measuring over 6ft on the landing side.

But it's also regarded as one of the deadliest among animal rights campaigners, and some horses have died from falls after attempts at jumping it.

Aintree has been forced to modify the jump several times over the years for safety purposes, but it remains on the course.

Equine fatalities

The number of horse deaths on racecourses has now reached its highest level in six years, according to figures released by the British Horseracing Authority in January, with 201 out of 93,004 runners killed last year.

There have been several equine fatalities at The Grand National, notable in 2011 and 2012, when two horses died while competing the race on both occasions.

At the time, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) issued a statement describing the deaths as “totally unacceptable”, adding that in its then format, the risk to horses was not appropriate.

There have been 11 horse deaths at the Grand National since the year 2000, but there have not been any further deaths in the race itself since 2012. However, there have been equine deaths at other Aintree races since then.

Speaking to The Independent, PETA’s director Elisa Allen explains that “the fact that it’s a cause for celebration when no horses die during the Grand National says everything that anyone should need to know about this event and the horse-racing industry generally.”

On its website, the Grand National organisers explain that Aintree officials and the British Horseracing Authority has introduced measures to make the race safer, but that the demanding nature of its circuit “naturally comes with its risks”.

Equine injuries

Due to the gruelling nature of the course, many horses do not make it to the finish line.

“Forcing horses to run at breakneck speed around a course deliberately designed to be hazardous is, as we’ve seen, a recipe for disaster,” says Davies, who claims that injuries sustained by horses after races such as the Grand National may include heart attacks, bleeding lungs and gastric ulcers. Meanwhile research shows that horses running in high-speed races are at risk of exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage.

The RSCPA works closely with the British Horseracing Authority to find ways to reduce to risk of equine injury. In a statement provided to The Independent, the RSPCA said: “There is always more work to do which is why our racing consultant and equine welfare team attends a number of races throughout the year including the 2019 Aintree Grand National Meeting, to observe and review races with the aim of continually looking for ways to improve safety and welfare.

"We will explore any issues which arise at this year’s Grand National and will identify measures to reduce the risks in future. We are clear that the sole reason for our engagement is the improvement of racehorse welfare.”

Riders using whips

One of the most wince-inducing aspects of watching the Grand National is seeing jockeys furiously whipping their horses in a bid to make them gallop faster.

While a law was brought into the UK in 2011 to limit the number of times a jockey can use their whip, animal rights campaigners argue that this misses the fundamental point that whipping an animal is cruel, no matter how many times you do it.

Callous attitudes towards horses

In 2014, jockey Ruby Walsh – who has won the Grand National twice – ignited a furious debate over how jockeys treat their horses by saying “you can replace a horse” following a death of a horse at the Cheltenham Festival.

“You can’t replace a human being. That’s my feeling on it,” he added.

In August 2017, jockey Davy Russell was given a four-day suspension for punching a horse on the back of the head before a race at Tramore. Russell won the Grand National the following year.

Gambling

The predicted total spend by punters at this year’s Grand National is £250m, according to bookmaker Ladbrokes, making it one of the biggest sporting events for gamblers.

The risks of gambling and gambling addiction are well-documented, but there are financial risks too, concerns over which were raised this week by culture secretary Jeremy Wright.

Writing a blog post on the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s website, White explained he intended to hold meetings with betting firms to discuss his concerns over bets made via credit card that he said could put consumers at risk of racking up debts they can’t pay back.

“Many of us will enjoy a bet on the Grand National. But this is an industry that should be about entertainment, not exploitation,” he wrote.

The Independent has contacted Aintree Racecourse for comment.